This invention relates in general to a system and method for retaining a first part to the surface of a second part and more specifically to such a system and method utilizing a retaining mechanism to hold parts together to supplement or supplant use of adhesive for such retaining, and even more specifically to a system and method which utilizes a retaining mechanism for retaining an illuminator cable to the surface of a lid assembly within a media picker.
Many different types of devices exist in which one or more components need to be retained to the surface of another component. For instance, many electronic devices exist in which data carrying and/or current carrying cables are included, which need to be retained to a particular surface so that the cables do not interfere with operation of the device (e.g., do not interfere with moving components of the device). Cables (or other components) are sometimes arranged within devices in a manner such that they are under stress. For example, a cable may be bent or twisted within a device to form the desired arrangement. Because the cables may be arranged such that they are under stress, it may be necessary to implement a mechanism to offset such stress in order to retain the cables in a desired configuration. For instance, it may be desirable to arrange a cable within a device such that it is bent in various directions, while at least a portion of the cable is maintained against a particular surface within the device. Because of the stress that the bending of the cable presents, the cable may tend to lift away from the particular surface against which it should be maintained. Therefore, it may be necessary to implement a mechanism to aid in maintaining the cable in the desired configuration (e.g., against the particular surface).
Various techniques have been utilized in the prior art for maintaining cables (or other components) to a particular surface. Primarily, adhesives have been utilized for adhering cables to a particular surface. However, various adhesives have proven unsuccessful over a relatively long period of time. For example, an adhesive may, over time, fail to maintain a stressed cable against a particular surface. Additionally, an adhesive may be sensitive to environmental conditions which a device may encounter, such as temperature changes, dirt, etc., which may result in failure of the adhesive. Furthermore, problems may arise when manufacturing a device using an adhesive. For instance, an adhesive may require special handling/disposal instructions (e.g., which may be required because of the adhesive""s toxicity). Additionally, the adhesive may require a period of time to xe2x80x9csetxe2x80x9d (or harden) once a cable is arranged in a desired position. Thus, other mechanisms may be required to temporarily hold the cable in place while the adhesive hardens. Therefore, the use of adhesive in this manner may introduce difficulty and time delay in the manufacturing process.
The present invention is directed to a system and method which utilize a retaining mechanism to retain a first part against a second part in a manner that supplements or supplants use of adhesive. According to at least one embodiment, a retaining mechanism for retaining a first part against a second part is disclosed, wherein the second part comprises a surface against which the first part is to be retained and a rib positioned partially above the second part. The retaining mechanism of such embodiment comprises substantially a monkey-wrench shape arranged between the rib and the first part to impart force against the first part to retain the first part against the surface of the second part. The monkey-wrench shape comprises a handle portion and at least a first fixed jaw portion, wherein such first jaw portion is arranged to engage a nib protruding from the surface of the second part. The retaining mechanism further comprises a complementary surface arranged to fit tightly against the rib.
According to at least one other embodiment, a method of retaining an illuminator cable assembly against a surface of a lid assembly within a media picker device is disclosed, wherein the lid assembly comprises a rib that is spatially separated from the surface and is oriented above at least a portion of the surface. The method of at least one embodiment comprises the steps of positioning the illuminator cable assembly on the surface of the lid assembly, and arranging a retaining mechanism between the rib and the illuminator cable assembly in a manner such that the retaining mechanism applies sufficient force against the illuminator cable assembly to retain the illuminator cable assembly against the surface.
In at least one embodiment, a retaining mechanism is disclosed, which is utilized in a media picker assembly. More specifically, a media picker assembly is disclosed that comprises a lid assembly, and an illuminator cable assembly that includes a surface and a rib spatially separated from at least a portion of such surface and oriented above at least a portion of such surface. The media picker assembly further comprises means for retaining the illuminator cable assembly against the surface of the lid assembly, wherein the retaining means is arranged between the rib and the illuminator cable assembly to maintain force against the illuminator assembly toward the surface.